Experts Blog

When was the last time you thanked your employees?

Research recently carried out by Avery Rewards suggests that millions of British workers haven’t had a thank you from their boss in over a year. More than half of the 2,000 workers we spoke to feel they don’t receive proper credit for their hard work. And, remarkably, one-in-four have NEVER had a thank you from their boss.

Our research suggests that just under half (47%) felt they were actually paid a fair wage for their efforts, but their superiors fail to manage them properly or show enough appreciation.

Most people put a lot of effort into the work they do each day and take a lot of pride in what they do, but it seems many don’t receive the thanks they’d like. There’s always a difference between what you’re expected to do and going the extra mile. And a simple thank you at the right moment can really have an impact on workplace morale.

In this tough economic climate, workers are being squeezed more than ever before to ensure they perform, so it’s important they feel that their efforts are appreciated.

The lack of a simple ‘thank-you’ means six-in-ten employees do not feel they are appreciated by their boss, with a third having stopped expecting any form of appreciation. Four-in-ten people say a thank you from the boss is usually rare, if it occurs at all, while a quarter of those who receive a show of gratitude aren’t always convinced it’s sincere.

When it comes to signs of appreciation, a bit more honesty, flexibility with working hours and the odd cup of tea are some of the biggest factors workers say can really make the difference. Simply having your birthday remembered, or the occasional team building exercise also build up to feeling appreciated.

Interestingly, more than half of workers in our study also felt their boss favoured certain employees.

Inevitably, when feeling underappreciated, employees’ first reaction was to start caring less about their work and put in a lot less effort. One-third will become disillusioned if they don’t receive the proper thanks, and a further fifth will start updating their CV.

But one-in-four hardy employees will put maximum effort into their work regardless of how happy they are and the credit they receive.

Overall, just a third of people find their job rewarding, and one-in-four people have to treat themselves at least once a week just to cheer themselves up from work.

Sometimes it’s easy to feel a little taken for granted and in those times it’s important to keep a level head and focus on rewarding ourselves when we deserve it and need to unwind outside of work.

Top 10 things that employees appreciate

1 Compliments about their work

2 A Christmas bonus

3 Greater working hours flexibility

4 More honesty from those they work for

5 Being made a cup of tea once in a while

6 More appreciation of how hard it is balancing work and family commitments

7 More understanding when they have appointments

8 Colleagues remembering birthdays

9 Teambuilding exercises

10 More work socials

Blog written by Gregg Corbett of Avery Awards

Getting the 'right T-shirt' in 2013

Have you been there, done that, got the T-Shirt – only to find it’s the wrong T-Shirt? Are you determined that 2013 will be different?

New Year’s resolutions are, in principle, a great idea. But if all you do is say you are going to do something and not have the whole process clear in your mind, it is very hard to follow through.

Not only do you need to know what you are going to do, but also how you are going to do it and how you are going to meet the challenges that automatically arise as you start creating change. 

If you really want to make 2013 your best year, you need to be thinking differently and doing something different, too.

One way of thinking differently is to question the limiting beliefs you have about what is and isn’t possible.  Change your thinking, question your beliefs and you are on the way to truly creating change.

In addition, your New Year’s resolution can only really work if you also change what you are doing. 

It is like saying that you want to increase your circle of friends, but then only ever going to the same old places with the same old people and wondering why you are not meeting anyone different. You need to change the pattern you have been following for years.

Write your own rules; look at your world in a different way; allow yourself to think differently to those around you. That’s how you begin to live the life you want.

So this January, I suggest you take the time to really uncover what it is you want 2013 to look like. 

Resolve to use this quiet darkness of winter to begin to grow the picture of what your “right T-Shirt” will look like. As the days begin to lengthen, build this picture of the life you want to be living, so that when spring comes you are ready to put it all into practice. 

In that way, you will be far more likely to make it happen, to stick with it, to change your thinking and doing and meet the challenges along the way until suddenly there you are – wearing your Right T-Shirt.

Jessica McGregor Johnson is the author of a new book The Right T-Shirt